Flame
by SironaFlett .o.x.o
Summary: Set between the 1st and 2nd Series. Merlin accidently lets his magic be known. Morgana has a choice. She can either tell Uther, or keep it a secret. What will she decide? And how can Merlin convince her that magic can be used for good?
1. Chapter 1

Merlin looked down at the candle wick, curious and full of thought. He blew onto the tiny spark left at the end of the candle. It erupted into a flame. He sat back, happy at his own magic. Giaus was setting the table at the other end of the room. He stopped and stared at Merlin now and then. Merlin caught his glance.

"What?" He asked.

"I just thought you would have been more advanced by now." Gaius said calmly. "Beautiful as that magic is, I rather think that you would be accomplishing more than simple fire spells."

Merlin sighed staring at the flame. "Well, yes. I would. But you know as well as I big tricks would catch attention."

"Don't you have work to do?"

"I'm doing it," Merlin replied.

"Yes, because lighting a flame is the most productive work you can do." Gaius replied.

"Yep." He looked up. "Look, don't worry. Arthur is off doing some counsel thing with Uther. He said I could have the morning."

"It's afternoon."

Merlin grinned. "No it's not."

"I rather think it is,"

Merlin looked outside, watching the sun set in the west. He jumped up. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, I assumed that it was big work, your fire spell." Gaius replied with a smile.

Merlin grabbed his jacket and took a bite of his bread.

"Where are you going? Dinner is ready!"

"I have to go, tell Arthur... Something! To make it seem like I'm not the incompetent git that he thinks I am."

Gaius sighed. "Alright, but remember to return. Otherwise I'll feed your food to the dog."

Merlin frowned. "We don't have a dog."

"Then I shall purchase one name it Fido and then give it your dinner." Gaius replied impatiently. "Now are you going or not?"

"Right, yes." Merlin dodged out of the physicians rooms and out into the castle grounds. It was going to be a cold night. The crisp air was strangely still. Even the grounds to which many should have been on the street, it seemed strangely deserted. Merlin had no time to contemplate. He dashed across the flagstones and made his way across into the halls of the mighty. Not looking where he was going he crashed into someone.

"Oh, sorry." He stood and held out a hand ready to help them up.

"Merlin?"

He blinked and took a step back. "Morgana?"

She smiled up at him. She was spectacularly beautiful. Merlin pulled her up. Her red dress fell around her ankles. She fixed her sleeves and looked down at herself.

"I'm sorry-" Merlin began to babble, fearful of what she would do to him. "I must have had my eyes closed."

"It's alright as long as no one was injured, so." She smiled at him. "Where are you going?"

"Arthur... He... I..." Merlin looked away. "You haven't seen Gwen have you?"

"I'm afraid not." Morgana let her smile stretch across her pale face. "You seem distracted Merlin."

"Me? Distracted? Never!" Merlin gave a nervous laugh. "I have to... I have to go."

"Oh..." Morgana smiled. "Okay,"

Merlin gave a curt bow and ran off. Morgana stared after him for a moment then smiled to herself. She turned and continued on.

Merlin skidded outside the chambers of Arthur. He straightened himself up and then knocked the door.

"Enter,"

Merlin creaked open the door poking his head in. A large pewter object clattered above his head. He sighed. "I had just cleaned that." He said.

"Where have you been?" Arthur bellowed. "You need to clean my boots."

"I'm sure you would have managed to clean them on your own-"Merlin began

Arthur crossed the room grabbing Merlin by the ear and pulling him to sit on the chair. "Now, until you tell me where you've been, I'm charging you with a month in the stocks."

"I was... Ill."

"ill?"

"Yes."

"You were ill?"

"Yes. All better now though!"

"How ill?"

"Very," Merlin replied, elaborating his lie. "So very ill. Warts, puking, headaches... toothaches."

"Toothaches?"

"it's a weird disease."

"Is it contagious?"

"Er..."

"Merlin, it is contagious?" Arthur said.

"I... er... you'd need... to... Ask Gaius." Merlin said. "I'm no medical man."

This was met with a slap around the head. "You weren't ill were you?"

Merlin sighed. "No, I was out, thieving the lower servants."

"Never joke about thieving, Merlin. Otherwise I will execute you." Arthur said bitterly.

"Well, it's good to know that you're above threatening people for your own personal gain." Merlin replied.

"Boots. Clean. Now." Arthur said.

"Yes. Of course."

"I hope you cleaned my armour." Arthur warned.

"Armour. Right." Merlin said, grabbing the dirty mud caked boots.

"You did clean my armour right? Tell me you did it."

"Yes, it's all ready for the ride out tomorrow." Merlin said.

"Good." Arthur moved off.

"Have a nice meal." Merlin muttered.

"I will." Arthur replied, closing the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin trailed away from the knights, not really caring. Besides, Arthur only needed him in case he got a boo boo. He wasn't really important to the knights. It was either trail behind and get shouted at, or follow them like a little lost puppy and have several types of blood knocked out of him.

Merlin loitered. He had seen a clearing a few hundred feet back. In just the right place to see Camelot from a distance but also perfect enough to be covered from any danger.

He rode back and got off his horse, tying it a little away from him as to not get spooked.

It was an incredible little place. Merlin sat down, gathering some twigs. He raised his hand and whispered an incantation. His eyes flared up. One of the twigs snapped as if someone had stepped on it and a fire was lit. Merlin stared at it impressed with how the other branches had caught fire so quickly. Begrudgingly he got up and began hunting for more.

The autumn leaves on the floor lay across each other in different shades. He picked a few up and held them flat in his hand. Though there was no wind, they began to rise and spin gracefully. Spinning in a funnel gradually getting smaller until it reached Merlin's palm. He held out his arm, letting the leaves spin around it.

A noise alerted him. He stopped, the leaves hitting the ground. He looked wildly to see where the noise had come from.

Behind a few trees a few men had stopped and were talking in hushed tones. Merlin dropped to his stomach hiding under the roots of a mahogany.

"Where is it?" One of them asked.

"Safe, with Ortho."

"We can't trust him." Spoke up a third one.

"In our line of business, who can you trust?" Asked the first.

The men laughed bitterly. "Right, meet here tonight."

"Aye, a'right."

Merlin shifted one eighth of his body. Something under him snapped. The men went silent. Then there was the unmistakeable sound of a sword been drawn from its scabbard. They began moving out nearer and neared to Merlin. So close that she could count blood stains on the man's boot.

"Here we go!" One of them grabbed Merlin by the shirt collar and pulled him up. He threw the boy to the feet of the other men.

"Look what we have here." The first said. "A spy."

"No..." Merlin argued. "Not a spy, never. Too stupid to be a spy."

"Then what are you doing all the way out here?" Asked the third.

"Me? I'm just collecting herbs."

"One o' those magic folk?" The second said.

"No!" Merlin held up his hands. "No! I work for the King's physician!"

"You work in Camelot?"

"And for the prince," Merlin said.

"Well then, the prince doesn't need someone so stupid. So I guess, we'd be doing him a favour." The second raised his sword and thrust it into Merlin's back. Merlin gasped as the steel blade hit him.

"Oi!" Shouted a voice.

Merlin began to fade into the black. The men scattered. Arthur's face came into focus.

"You stupid idiot!" He shouted.

"Tell me something I don't know." Merlin murmured.

...

Morgana opened the door to Gaius's quarters, her hand clutched around a green vial.

"Ah, my lady." Gaius said. "What can I do for you this morning?"

Morgana's hand trembled. "My... My dreams are getting worse."

"Ah," Gaius took her hands and let her sit down. "Tell me about them."

"No, you would think I am mad." She laughed nervously.

"I only wish to help. Perhaps unearthing the true meaning of your dreams will help." He said kindly.

Morgana took a deep breath. "I... I'm in Uther's court. He's trying someone for being involved in magic. Only I know something that he doesn't. And my mind is screaming to say something; that the man being tried is innocent of all the crimes put to him. But I don't say a word and he is executed immediately because Uther cannot risk him getting out."

"Who is it that is being tried?" Gaius asked.

Morgana looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. "It's Merlin," She whispered.

Gaius took a step back. "Merlin?"

"I know! It can't happen. What would Merlin do with magic?" She laughed again and wiped her face. "He has been nothing but kind to the King and his court. But this dream. It's so vivid I almost believe that it could be true." Morgana looked away. "Gaius, tell me it won't happen."

"The future is always unclear. Certainly those who practised the old religion used dreams as prophesies. But I highly doubt that this is nothing to be worried about." Gaius prised the vial from her hand then went to his cupboard.

"I'm scared, Gaius," She said.

"It's understandable." Gaius said.

"Gaius!" The door flung open. Arthur stood with a few of his knights in his arms was Merlin covered in blood.

"Arthur," Gaius saw his friend. "What happened?"

Arthur laid Merlin on the bed. "Stabbed by some thieves." He explained.

Gaius peeled back Merlin's shirt. "He shall be okay. Morgana, can you come back to me later?"

Morgana nodded, staring at Merlin. "Is he going to be alright?" She asked.

"He will be fine," Gaius replied. "Leave now."


	3. Chapter 3

Morgana entered Gaius' chambers unannounced. She looked around and called for him. Her eyes caught the attention of a brew nestling over the fire. She took a step towards it. Staring at it for a moment she thought she had recognised her sleeping draught.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you," Came a voice.

Morgana turned to see Merlin stagger down the steps from his room, pulling on a crimson shirt. She smiled up at him.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Rougher than a badgers backside." Merlin replied. "But Gaius is a genius. Without him I would be dead." 

"He is a miracle worker indeed." Morgana said. "Does it hurt?"

Merlin stared at her. "Why so interested?" He asked.

Morgana looked away. "I'm… I'm not." She blushed. An unsteady silence passed between them. Morgana cleared her throat. "What is that anyway?" She asked.

"That is the town leper's medicine. Consisting of things too ugly for the King's Ward." Merlin said.

Morgan smiled. "Like what?" She asked.

"Oh. Evil enchantments. Gaius is really evil. He wants to cure lepers." Merlin smiled playfully.

Morgana's face dropped. "You shouldn't joke about those things Merlin." She said.

He realised his mistake. His smile too vanished. Morgana turned and began to walk away from him.

"Morgana!" He cried. "No! Please! Wait!" He caught up with her, pulling her by the elbow. "I'm sorry. Can I blame my medicine?" He asked.

Morgana shook her head.

"Sorry about the joke. It was in bad taste."

"It's not that. If we lived in a different time when magic was still permitted…" She sighed.

"Morgana, what's wrong?" Merlin asked.

"Nothing… Just silly little nightmares." She said.

Merlin took her hands forcing her to look into his eyes. "Tell me."

"In my dreams…" She gave a shudder. "I was one of magic."

Merlin took a step back.

"See!" She cried. "I should not have told you!"

"No," Merlin kept a grip of her hands as she tried to get away. "Continue."

"Not just me. You and Gaius… You all possessed magic." She said her voice quivering.

"Well, that's silly."

"But it feels so real!" She cried. "Merlin, you would tell me wouldn't you?"

"Tell you what?"

"If you used magic!" Morgana begged. "Please tell me that you would let me know!"

"Morgana," Merlin said seriously. "Listen to me. If you had the slightest inkling that you had magic then fine. But do you?"

Morgana paused and blinked up at him. "You're right." She sighed. "Of course you're right." She sighed. "I've been foolish."

"No," Merlin shook his head. "Never foolish."

Morgana sighed. "Can I ask you to ride out with me tomorrow?" She asked.

"Of course, but what for?"

"I don't want to be lonely. Gwen, she's a good friend. But she doesn't understand, not like you do."

Merlin gave a curt nod.

"I'll ask Arthur to give you the day off." She said.

Merlin smiled calmly. "M'lady."

Morgana smiled still. Her eyes flickered curiously. She turned and left.

"Do you not want your sleeping draught?" He asked.

"Can you bring it to me tonight?" She asked.

Merlin nodded. Morgana smiled at him then disappeared behind the pillars.


End file.
